A blazing lineup
Street dance, Junkies, Los Lobos and introducing The Swarm

Greetings, dear readers! Hope your grass is staying green in this heat, and that you’re saying all the right prayers/chants for a healthy monsoon season. While we won’t have fireworks in town this year to simulate warfare and scare all of our dogs, we do have a blazing lineup of music this month. Be sure to keep track of your local watering holes like 11th St. Station, The Tangled Horn, Union Social House and Lola’s for lots of free events. As always, see you on the dance floor!

• Will Overman, Buckley Park, Thurs., July 3, 5:30 p.m. - Singer-songwriter Will Overman brings his heartfelt Americana to the open lawn at our beloved Buckley Park. With roots in both indie-folk and classic country, Overman’s lyrics dig deep and soar high. Thanks to the Community Concert Hall at FLC and KDUR for this free show!

• Street Dance featuring High Country Hustle and The Afrobeatniks, July 4, 5-9:30 p.m., Transit Center, 250 W. 8th St. - Durango’s annual downtown Fourth of July bash is back with beer, dancing and two awesome local bands. High Country Hustle opens the festivities at 5:30 p.m. followed by local groove-masters The Afrobeatniks. Food and drink will be available from such fine local purveyors as Ska Brewing, Yia Yia’s Concessions, Tacos Carranzo, The Ice Cream Lady and more. There will also be an activities area with corn hole, face painting, henna tattoos and Ruby Balloon.

• Bluegrass SuperPAC, Union Social House, Fri., July 4, 6 p.m. - If you’re more fiddle than fireworks, duck into Union Social House for a dose of down-home shredding with our local lord god king of bluegrass flatpicking, Alex Graff, and his merry band of bluegrass all-stars. Bluegrass SuperPAC features a mostly rotating crew of local pickers and pros whose virtuosity will put a sonic boot in your ass courtesy of the U-S-A.

• Stillhouse Junkies Album Release Party, Mancos Brewing, Sun., July 6, 5:30 p.m. - Durango’s pride and joy, The Stillhouse Junkies, return from their sprawling continental tour to Mancos with a new album in tow. The Junkies have been pounding the pavement, getting their lineup dialed in for much of 2025. After so much time away from Durango, I like to imagine guitarist Fred Kosak looks a little like Tom Hanks in Castaway. “Wilson!” Come welcome the hardest-working band in Durango back to the region and help celebrate their latest release with cold beer, Montezuma County vibes and the latest evolution of the Junkies sound.

• Acid Wrench, Rugburn & Chroma Lips, Cold Storage Art Collective, Wed., July 9, 7 p.m. - Midweek noise fix? Cold Storage delivers with a triple bill of grit. Acid Wrench (Durango’s industrial punks), Rugburn (noise-pop meets caffeine crash) and Chroma Lips (melodic chaos) promise a night for the sonically adventurous. Earplugs optional but always advised.

• Ryan Cassata, Clementine & Ragged Oak, The Swarm, Fri., July 11, 7 p.m. - THE HIVE IS BACK with its all new bigger and better venue, which they’re calling The Swarm. You can’t keep a good thing down, and The Hive is one of the greatest youth initiatives Durango has seen. Thanks to Jimmy’s Music, The Swarm is about to take off as Durango’s de facto punk and rock venue. This particular lineup leans introspective and inspiring. Ryan Cassata, a nationally known trans artist and activist, brings poignant acoustic punk and fearless storytelling. Clementine’s dreamy indie-pop pairs well with Ragged Oak’s ambient fringe rock. Come for the music, stay for the community.

• Ray Wylie Hubbard w/ Colman Jennings, Animas City Theatre, Sat., July 12, 8 p.m. - A Texas songwriting icon rolls into ACT for a rare night of swampy wisdom and outlaw charm. If you know “Snake Farm,” you know. If you don’t, this is your moment. Colman Jennings opens with soulful grit.

• Los Lobos, Buckley Park, Fri., July 18, 5 p.m. - Grammy winners and Chicano rock pioneers Los Lobos headline a KSUT blowout at Buckley Park. Are you freaking kidding me?! Chris Aaland, God bless you and your team. From “La Bamba” to boundary-pushing electric jams, their live shows are a masterclass in musical fusion. Expect a packed park, dancing feet and a family friendly, sun-drenched crowd.

• Forest Thump, Arsonnick & Disco Dolly, Animas City Theatre, Sat., July 19, 7 p.m. - The Book of Kells is renowned for its impossibly intricate knotwork, spirals and sacred geometry. A single page can hold thousands of interlaced lines, inviting the viewer into a meditative state through sheer visual overwhelm. Forest Thump’s music functions similarly: polyrhythmic layers, looping synths and ripping traditional Celtic fiddle playing. Come celebrate the dance duo’s first headlining night at the ACT with the best of the best for direct support: Disco Dolly and Arsonnick. 

• Pink Fuzz, Acid Wrench & Alicia Glass, Cold Storage Art Collective, Sat., July 26, 8 p.m. - Denver’s Pink Fuzz headlines a night of gritty alt-rock at Cold Storage. Fuzz-heavy, riff-driven and emotionally raw, they’re backed by locals Acid Wrench and local all-around badass Alicia Glass. ■